


You Don't

by LokiFirefox



Category: Glee
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-30
Updated: 2013-04-01
Packaged: 2017-12-06 23:35:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/741492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LokiFirefox/pseuds/LokiFirefox
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Something happened between Sam and Blaine but no one knows what. They aren't talking to one another, but where words fail perhaps music will succeed?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Marley

**Author's Note:**

> A song that I had in my playlist for a while now that I just recently rediscovered inspired this fic. It wouldn't leave me alone. I basically created the fic so I could have a reason to have Blaine sing this song.

Marley is worried. Finn’s assignment this week was for them to sing about something personal but to sing it in a style, musical genre, singer or band that they are unfamiliar or uncomfortable with. Finn said it’s supposed to test their versatility and, at the same time, prove that as long as what you sang was true, or felt it sincerely, it will help carry the performance. 

Finn had the idea when one session broke down into an argument that they were “playing it safe” and not experimenting enough. 

The problem with finding a song in a style that she’s unfamiliar with is that she has no idea what songs that would fit her own personal issues, which led to Marley worrying. Someone less kind would say that she has plenty of reasons to be, what with her problems with Jake and Ryder, her issues with Kitty—and, to a lesser extent, Tina—her worries over Unique, and her struggles with her weight. 

She _could_ ask Jake for help except that she and Jake actually like the same kind of music. Then Marley blinks, there _is_ one person who could help her. Not because he has different tastes in music, but because he listens to so many different kinds of music that he could help her out. 

Blaine. 

Now she and Blaine aren’t really close. Blaine’s best friends are Sam and Tina while Marley’s best friend is Unique. However he’s really nice and they almost always partner up in group numbers. And when Finn assigned them the duet for Sectionals, they ended up spending a lot of time together to prepare for it.

Marley had a blast with Blaine. Singing with Blaine is different from singing with the people she usually sings with. There isn’t any of that emotional and... _the other kind of_...tension like when she sings with Ryder or Jake, or that feeling of having to compete when she sings with Kitty. And while she loves Unique, Unique craves and, frankly, belongs in the spotlight so Marley has to stay on her toes or end up in the background. And that’s with Unique being supporting. In a way Marley likes it because it forces her to come out of her shell and be more uninhibited when she performs. 

But Blaine is completely supporting. She doesn’t worry about Blaine eclipsing her because Blaine knows how to share and even direct focus to his partner when it’s needed. There is no tension but he knows how to create chemistry so they aren’t bland together but she doesn’t have to worry about him misinterpreting her feelings. He’s also one of the most technically adept singers in glee. And while New Directions are naturally good performers, most of them are getting their first musical education in glee club. She can actually discuss the technical aspects of the song with Blaine, not just who gets to sing which part and in what key. Aside from losing Sectionals, one of Marley’s regrets is not being able to sing that duet that she and Blaine worked so hard on. 

They didn’t really talk about personal stuff.  They mostly talked about the song and their performance and gossiped a little about their friends and people they knew. Aside from music, they discovered a mutual love for Broadway musicals (particularly Sondheim, although Blaine was aghast that Marley likes Webber and she remembered two funny hours Blaine spent lecturing her why she shouldn’t), classic Hollywood musicals, rom-coms, Audrey Hepburn and Meryl Streep.

But Blaine’s a senior and Marley’s a sophomore and Blaine is super busy with a lot of extra-curricular clubs so they don’t really have a lot of time to spend together even if they wanted to. 

But her brow furrows as she _had_ noticed that there was something off about him lately. Even when he isn’t singing there’s always a spark, a twinkle in his eyes; a smile always threatening to break out. His face is very expressive and he gives this impression of barely contained energy; that he would break out into a blur of motion at any given moment. But lately, that spark is missing and that energy is gone.

She wonders if he’s upset about Kurt again. Even she’s heard about the epic romance of Blaine and Kurt. But this is different. During Grease, even when he was sad and upset, he still had that aura, only this time it was that of a tragic hero, like Romeo or Lancelot. Now that aura is simply...gone.

Marley didn’t think anyone else has noticed because Blaine has been acting normally. But that’s the thing. Blaine is acting _normal_. Blaine is anything but and she doesn’t remember the last time he smiled that amazing smile of his or laughed out loud. If she was Sam or Artie, she’d suspect that Blaine was replaced by an alien impostor.

Maybe she should talk to Sam? He and Blaine are super close even for best friends. Except, and Marley frowns at this thought, that they haven’t really been hanging out all that much. In fact, in the past week, she hadn’t seen them together outside of glee. Is that it? Are Sam and Blaine fighting?

Marley thought back to their sessions in the choir room and rehearsals and while Sam and Blaine spoke and interacted with each other, it was always about the song or the performance but they weren’t horsing around like they used to.

Marley sighs. Is this any of her business? She has her own problems to deal with but Blaine is nice to her, the least she could do is maybe bring it up to a friend who knows him better. Maybe as an outsider she saw something that people closer to him might have missed. She squares her shoulders and gathers her resolve. There’s no way out of it. She really has no choice. She doesn’t like it but the glee kids look out for one another. She needs to do this.

She needs to talk to Tina.


	2. Tina

Tina is worried. There is something off about Blaine and it started about a week ago. It isn’t as bad as when he was depressed about losing Kurt, in fact it was the opposite. Blaine is very much in control. Unfortunately that’s what’s worrying her. Blaine may be dapper and polite and courteous but that doesn’t mean that he hides his emotions. Far from it. It’s actually a little off-putting how open Blaine is about his feelings. If Blaine is upset, he would never pull a tantrum, but no one would ever be in doubt that he’s upset.

When he and Kurt hit their rough spot and when Kurt finally broke it off, Blaine was a mess but at least Tina could understand the reason behind it. But now, Blaine is hiding his emotions and being all fake and plastic. He’s turning into Quinn right before her eyes, and a wall is building up and a distance is stretching between him and everyone else—including _her!_ —and she can’t understand why. It certainly doesn’t help that he is now wearing a Cheerios uniform and is co-captain of the squad; it only makes the similarities to Quinn more obvious. Even when she asked him point-blank what the matter was he said nothing was wrong. But that spark is missing from his eyes, which gives the lie to what he said.

“Tina?”

Tina suppresses an eye roll. The last thing she wants to do right now is deal with Marley “Too Many Issues to Fit in Her Skinny Body” Rose. She lets out a huff and turns to face the sophomore. She raises her eyebrow when she sees Marley’s hunched shoulders, clasping her books in front of her like a shield, her blue eyes—and Tina convinces herself that she doesn’t resent her for that either—wide but determined. Hmm, if Blaine is turning into Quinn, is she becoming Santana? Perish the thought.

“I don’t know where Unique is, okay?” Tina says to her, hoping to end this as quickly as possible. Tina isn’t blind. She knows she’s being a little hard on Marley—okay, a _lot_ hard—but she had to put up with a lot of crap herself. She was a wallflower herself when she joined glee and she had to deal with Rachel, Quinn, Mercedes, Kurt _and_ Santana and those five can give Unique lessons on being a diva no matter what Unique thinks and at the time she wasn’t best friends with any of them. She paid her dues and she was finally the senior girl in glee and she _still_ has to fight for solos. It certainly doesn’t help to watch Marley blithely walk in and take most of them. Worse, unlike Rachel she doesn’t even have to fight for them! She just gets them! Well, if she wants the spotlight, she better be tough enough to hold that spot.

“I’m not looking for Unique,” Marley replies and Tina felt a little twinge of guilt when Marley winces at Tina’s tone. “I was wondering if I could talk to you. It’s important.”

Tina gives Marley a searching look. It’s no secret that she isn’t Marley’s biggest fan so for Marley to want to spend time with Tina means that it must be important. And fine, maybe she’s feeling a _little_ guilty for being such a bitch to her.

“Fine,” Tina says and starts walking towards an empty classroom letting Marley catch up. “You have five minutes.” 

Tina finds herself in the Astronomy room and can’t fight down a grin, remembering Sam saying how he wanted to sit “under Uranus.” She wipes the smile off though before turning to face Marley. When Marley doesn’t say anything at first, just standing there shuffling her feet, Tina doesn’t suppress the eye roll this time and forcefully lets out another huff.

“Clock’s ticking, Marley,” she bites out, feeling a little guilty again when Marley jumps. Okay maybe she was channeling too much Santana and can tone it down a bit. She can be challenging without being a bitch. “You wanted to talk,” she says more calmly, “so talk.”

“I’m worried about Blaine,” Marley lets out in a rush.

Tina blinks. For _Marley_ to notice something off about Blaine means that she isn’t imagining things and only increases her concern. But first, why is Marley worried? What’s Blaine to her?

“I know you must have noticed,” Marley says before Tina can say anything. “I don’t think anyone else has—”

“But you have?” Tina asks, interrupting her. It’s one thing for Marley to take over her spot as female lead in New Directions; she isn’t taking over her spot as Blaine’s best friend, not without a fight.

“I spent a little time with him when we were rehearsing for our duet,” Marley says, shrugging. She rushes on, Tina guessing that she probably doesn’t want to bring up Sectionals in front of her. “He’s not acting like he was. It’s like the...the... _spark_ has gone out.”

“The ‘spark’?” Tina asks although she knows _exactly_ what Marley is talking about. She is _definitely_ worried now that _Marley_ and she are thinking the exact same thing.

“Yeah,” Marley says, “the spark. What makes Blaine, Blaine, you know?” She shrugs again and Tina manages to refrain from telling her to stop shrugging and grow a spine but Marley isn’t Tina’s problem and as long as the girl pulls her weight in glee she’d leave her alone—for the most part anyway. “It’s only there now when he sings but otherwise, it’s gone.”

“Okay, let’s say I agree with you,” and I do, Tina thinks, one hundred per cent, “what do you want to do about it?” Tina is genuinely curious as to what Marley is going to say.

“I don’t know,” Marley says, a tinge of frustration and desperation coloring her voice. “That’s why I’m talking to you. You guys are best friends, you know him better than anyone. I just wanted to make sure that you know just in case you were too close not to notice it.”

Tina quietly lets out a sigh of relief. Okay, so Marley isn’t trying to take Blaine away from her. Tina reminds herself that she gets a little crazy when Blaine is involved and that she should really tone down the bitchiness. She should revisit this conversation later and take a closer look at her behavior. As it is she already knows she isn’t being very nice and even though she may not totally respect Marley, Marley is one of the genuinely nice people in glee. She is someone who should be protected by the bitchier, meaner members, which she has apparently become. In fact, Marley acknowledged that Blaine is _Tina’s_ best friend. She wants to make sure that Tina is aware that there might be a problem and trusts her to take care of it. 

This is a wake-up call, Tina. One can be strong without being hard. 

“Yes, I know what you mean,” Tina says and Marley sighs in relief. “Don’t worry, I’ll find out what’s what and straighten it out.” 

“Okay, great, thanks,” Marley says and turns around to leave. Tina can’t let it go like that because in the end, she is _not_ Santana. And she doesn’t want to be. 

“Marley,” she calls out. Marley turns around gingerly to face her. “Thank you,” Tina says sincerely, “for looking out for Blaine and letting me know. I appreciate it.” 

Marley smiles at her and Tina can’t help but notice that the skinny wretch really was too pretty for her own good. What? She’s not going to be Queen Bitch of McKinley but she’s no saint, but for once Tina didn’t begrudge her that. “You’re welcome, Tina,” Marley says, unaware of Tina’s inner musings. “I’ll see you in glee?” 

“Yes,” Tina answers and with a slight wave Marley shuffles back to the corridor. 

Tina frowns. Something _is_ going on and she’s going to find out what. Since Blaine isn’t talking then it’s time to start digging. Tina doesn’t think this is about Kurt. Despite not wanting to _be_ Santana, doesn’t mean they aren’t friends. Santana keeps her up-to-date with all the latest NY gossip (as she keeps her up-to-date with the Lima drama). If Kurt and Blaine had another recent dramatic… _episode_ , Santana would have let her know. And as of two hours ago, when she and Santana last checked in with each other, Kurt and Adam are going strong. And according to the latest in Cooper’s Facebook wall and tweets—yes, she’s subscribed, Cooper is _hot_ —he and Blaine are cool. Cooper has no filter; his life is literally an open book.

The thing about Blaine is despite how strongly he feels about people; Blaine is only really close to very few of them. That’s probably the reason why, because Blaine _does_ feel so strongly, he only lets very few people close enough who can hurt him that way. Tina feels very privileged to be one of the exclusive few. 

At least that helps narrow down the list of “suspects”. Not many people are close enough to hurt him hard enough to shut-off like this. Case in point is the Warblers. Blaine’s friendships with the various members aren’t as tight as it used to be—with the probable exception of Wes and Trent. With the rest, Blaine has distanced himself from them. He’s still polite and civil but she doubts he considers them his friends anymore, at least subconsciously. She’s observed it, it’s how Blaine protects himself from people who has betrayed and hurt him. The Warblers let Sebastian blind him and didn’t do anything about it, then tried to take him away from McKinley—the fact that they were underhanded about it is what she suspects bothers him so much, not that they wanted him back—and when they cheated in Sectionals, well that was final straw. They weren’t the people he knew. Their loss, her gain. She can safely remove them from the equation. 

So since it isn’t Kurt or Cooper, she can also safely count them out.  She would know if there is anything new going on with his parents. She knows for a fact that things are better between them. They weren’t happy when he transferred to McKinley, thinking that he was hurting his chances to get into a good college. But he’s not only a member of a glee club who are the current National Champions, but student council president and now co-captain of the Cheerios, another group of National Champions. The previous captain, Quinn, went to _Yale_. They couldn’t be more proud. In fact, Blaine was just telling her yesterday about how his parents have agreed to let him backpack around South East Asia on his own this summer. 

It won’t take her long to find out what is up with her friend. After you count out the Warblers, Kurt, Cooper, and his parents, then it’s down to a handful of people, all of whom Tina knows. In a way she’s grateful to Marley for talking to her, it made her realize how important this is. She may not be friends with Marley Rose, but she’s a teammate. And New Directions looks out for each other.

She needs to talk to Sam.


	3. Sam

Sam is worried. He’s seen the glint in Tina’s eye and she wants to _talk_. Normally Tina’s intensity doesn’t bother him, but he’s in no mood to put up with her right now. He beats her to the choir room and settles in a seat next to Brittany who greets him with a kiss. She turns to continue her conversation with Kitty and doesn’t notice how unsettled he is. Sam has been unsettled for a week now, ever since that Saturday.

He sighs. He can’t help but feel like he failed somehow. He knows he isn’t that bright. Granted, it has been pointed out to him that he isn’t as dumb as he thinks he is and he is working on his self-esteem issues but he knows that even taking that into account, he still isn’t the smartest guy in the room. He knows he messed up but isn’t quite sure how to fix it exactly. 

Blaine walks in the choir room and he knows that he’s lying to himself. His stomach tightens in knots. It’s been in knots since that Saturday. Blaine doesn’t look at him. Blaine hardly ever looks at him anymore, even when they’re talking Blaine is always looking at something else. Granted, Blaine is talking to one of the band members right now but still, he used to come in a room and greet everyone with a smile but that hasn’t happened in a while. Not since that Saturday. He knows how he can fix it, but he’s scared to. 

Tina walks in and Sam can see she isn’t pleased that he successfully dodged her. Again. He’s grateful that he’s surrounded by other members of New Directions so Tina can’t sit beside him. Sam’s been lucky ever since he saw that glint enter her eyes. He knows that she’ll eventually corner him but until that happens; he’ll do what he can to keep her at bay. 

Finn is with the band with Blaine, they seem to be discussing something and Finn looks really pleased. Blaine, though, is just so _still_. Sam indulges himself in a fantasy for a moment and wonders if Blaine has been replaced by an alien impostor. But he knows that it’s his fault. 

He promised Blaine that he would think about it but truth is he’s still freaked out and he hasn’t. Thought about it. Blaine saw that and he started being, well, cold to him. When Sam couldn’t take it, he asked Blaine what the matter was and Blaine had told him that nothing was the matter, that he was just giving him space like he asked. 

Except that Blaine wasn’t giving him space. Blaine had shut him out. And it hurts. Sam finally realized that the person who can help him go through this is _Blaine_ —even though it’s about him—but by the time he realized that, the _space_ between them was so big Sam didn’t know how to bridge it. What really bothered him was that Blaine didn’t seem to want to. That more than anything kept him from just talking to him. 

This isn’t sad Blaine or depressed Blaine or uncomfortable Blaine or even angry Blaine. Those he knows how to deal with. This…cold, no _alien_ Blaine; this Blaine he is actually a little scared of. And that fear has made him avoid Blaine and now it’s been _a week_ and Sam fears he may have lost Blaine for good. 

“Okay guys,” Finn starts and Sam pulls himself to focus on him. “I didn’t realize that by assigning you to sing songs you are unfamiliar with, that you guys would have a hard time finding songs to sing.” 

As the club members grumble in agreement, Finn quickly talks over them. Sam’s lucky though. He found his song the first day. He only isn’t sure if he has the courage to sing it. “But,” Finn continued over the mutterings, “it had the added benefit getting you guys together and learn about each other’s different musical tastes.” 

“Great,” Kitty snarks from the side, “maybe next time you can actually teach us something on purpose.” 

“Yes,” Finn says smiling, taking what Kitty said as a compliment. Sam isn’t sure if Finn is just taking what Kitty said at face value or if he really didn’t realize that Kitty just insulted him. 

“The thing is, though, that means most of you haven’t found your songs yet. So we’re going to use this time so you guys can pair up or group together and help each other find your songs,” Finn says rubbing his hands together. “But before we do that, Blaine, unsurprisingly,” Finn says with a grin at Blaine who smiles back at him wryly and Sam’s stomach twists again because Blaine hasn’t smiled at him in _ages_ , “has a song ready so we’ll let Blaine sing and we’ll get to work right after. Blaine?” Finn asks turning to Blaine who was standing in front of the band. “You ready?” 

Blaine nods and Finn smiles. “Then the floor’s yours,” he says before sitting down beside Artie. 

Blaine walks in front. Sam has noticed that while Blaine is as fashionable as ever, his style has changed. The colors are far more muted, and he hardly has that “touch of whimsy” Rachel once called his style that just screamed “Blaine”. Sam didn’t really notice it at first because Blaine usually wears his Cheerio uniform but sometimes, like now, when he’s in ‘civvies’ it’s very apparent. Blaine’s hair is as gelled in place as ever but he’s wearing a black fedora. He’s wearing a starched, crisp white long-sleeved oxford shirt, sleeves rolled-up, with _no_ bowtie—not that he’s worn a bowtie since Sam told him it made him look like a young Orville Redenbacher—a charcoal grey waistcoat and dark jeans. Normally Blaine would wear this outfit with crazy-colored socks and sneakers but instead he has expensive-looking black leather shoes on. Blaine just doesn’t look sharp, Blaine looks _serious_. 

Blaine opens his mouth, about to say something but changes his mind. He closes his mouth and turns to the band and nods his head. 

When the first notes come out, Sam’s eyebrows rise in surprise. He doesn’t recognize the song at first, definitely familiar though, but the style is unmistakably country. Something he knows for a fact that Blaine is not only uncomfortable with, he’s also slightly contemptuous of, calling it “too simple” for his tastes. 

_You don’t know what you do_   
_When you look at me that way_   
_You don't know how my heart breaks_   
_Every time you say my name_

Sam perks up. He knows this song, he remembers when he played it for Blaine once a long while back when he was trying to convince him that a song doesn't have to have lyrics dripping with metaphors or similes to be poetic, and simpler melodies can also have intensity of feeling. Sara Evans. He remembered Blaine cheekily asking if she was a relation.

_You don’t see all the tears_   
_That I cry in the dark_   
_You don't hear how I pray_   
_That you're safe when we're apart_

Sam frowns. He thought that Blaine was over Kurt. He had assured Sam that he and Kurt are over. Sam didn’t work that hard to cheer Blaine up when they broke up and helped him get over his ex, only to learn that he’s still carrying a torch all this time. Not that there’s anything he can do about it now. 

_Every time we kiss you don’t know  
How you steal a piece of my soul_

_You don’t know how it feels_   
_To be the one who loves the most_   
_How hard it is not to beg you stay_   
_Then watch you go_

Sam is blown over by the performance. He usually is. Blaine always gets very intense when he sings something personal. He remembered when Blaine sang _Against All Odds_ and the goose bumps that erupted across his skin when Blaine looked at him while he sang. He’s getting goose bumps just remembering it. Over the goose bumps he already has from how Blaine is singing now. He remembered how Blaine looked at him while he was singing that song and how he ended up going to Blaine’s house. He remembered how they talked and how they ended up doing more than just talking. He ended up staying the weekend. 

He was drunk by the attention, that someone like Blaine could like him like that, that someone like Blaine found him interesting and funny. He’s aware that he looks good but Blaine was into him more than just his looks and that was new. He and Blaine…that weekend…he was curious, to know what it felt like. To do that with someone he trusted, who wouldn’t take advantage of him. And Blaine didn’t. He helped him explore that. 

_Oh you say it’s all in my head_   
_But to me it seems so real_   
_No you don't know how it feels_   
_You might think you do_   
_But you don't_

Sam notices that Blaine is looking at everyone but him. Blaine hasn't looked at him once. He's singing to everyone but him and it twists his heart. He's such an idiot. He panicked and Blaine said he understood. He said he'd give him time to figure it out and to give him space. But Sam didn't try to figure it out. He ran away. And Blaine knows it.

_Oh and every time we kiss you don't know_   
_How you steal a piece of my soul_

Jesus there’s so much pain there. Could Blaine be singing about _him?_ He has been wondering if Blaine has developed more than a crush on him. That what they did that Saturday was more than just fooling around. When Blaine had said that he was out of the closet about his love for Phil Collins, his first thought was that Blaine meant him but he had told himself that if he _was_ out of the closet with his feelings then he would have said so. 

_You don’t know how it feels_   
_To be the one who loves the most_   
_How hard it is not to beg you to stay_   
_Then watch you go_

No, this is about Kurt. It’s always about Kurt. He’s Blaine’s soul mate. They’re endgame. Even Adam thinks so. Blaine doesn’t care about him, at least not in that way. Or at all anymore. Not that he can blame him. 

He misses Blaine. 

_Oh you say it’s all in my head_   
_But to me it seems so real_   
_No, you don't know how it feels_   
_You might think you do_   
_But you don't_

_No, you don't know how it feels_   
_You might think you do_   
_But you don't_

When the song ends there’s a hush in the room. Blaine doesn’t seem to notice. He just pulls himself together then nods his thanks to the band. That seems to wake people up and everyone starts to clap.

“That was awesome, Blaine,” Finn says, his eyes were wide with a dopey grin on his face. “I kinda want to raid Sam’s library now to see if there are any more songs like that.”

Blaine gives him a half-smile. “You can start with Emmylou Harris. She’s the best country singer out there, bar none.”

“Awesome, I’ll definitely look into that,” Finn says gripping Blaine’s shoulder fondly as they pass each other. Blaine sits down next to Tina as Finn stands in front of the group. Sam tries to catch Blaine’s eyes but, as usual, Blaine doesn’t even seem to notice he’s there.

He looks up when someone squeezes his hand. He meets Brittany’s understanding face as she pulls him back from spacing off. Finn had told everyone to break into groups and help each other find songs. He joins Brittany, Joe and Kitty but doesn’t say anything. He already has his song but he does lend them his iPod so they can listen to his playlist.

He told Brittany what happened of course. If anyone gets it, it’s Brittany. She told him that when he’s figured it out to let her know. In the meantime she’ll be there to hold his hand.

Sam’s caught by surprise when the bell rings. He was lost in thought and he sees Brittany walk out of the choir room with Kitty. He panics and realizes that he better get movi—too late.

“Sam.”

Tina.

“Hey Tina,” Sam says resignedly.

“Fix it.”

Sam is about to pretend not to know what she’s talking about but Tina sees that a mile away and interrupts him.

“Something happened between you and Blaine,” Tina snaps at him. “I don’t know what it was but it _hurt_ him. I don’t care who started it or whose fault it was but fix it now or you will lose him, Sam. You will lose him for good.”

Sam’s heart starts to beat faster and his anxiety about him and Blaine blooms into full-blown panic. Tina doesn’t help when she adds, “You might have already lost him, Sam.”

Tina suddenly looks sad. “You _know_ him. He doesn’t forgive easily, especially if the person he’s mad at the most is himself. I think that whatever happened between you two, he’s blaming himself.”

“What do you mean?”

“Sam, don’t be dense,” Tina says, exasperation all over her voice. “Weren’t you listening? All I needed to hear was him sing to know that this is about you.”

“He wasn’t singing about me,” Sam says, not quite able to smother the bitterness in his tone. “He was singing about Kurt. Again.”

“Don’t be stupid,” Tina snaps back. And that really makes Sam sit up. Tina knows how sensitive Sam is about his intelligence, for Tina to use “stupid” means she is really pissed-off or he’s really acting stupid, or both.

Tina glares at him. “He was singing a _country_ song.” She rolls her eyes and walks out of the choir room leaving Sam by himself.

Sam tries to work that out. What did she mean by—oh. Then he remembered what Blaine said to Finn about _starting_ with Emmylou Harris. Has Blaine been listening to country music? Does that mean that song was…was about him? Blaine _loves_ him?

“I saw Tina storm out of here.”

Sam looks up to see Brittany standing there, looking oddly vulnerable.

“Brit?”

“Looks like you figured it out,” she says. Sam feels bad. But she’s right. He has figured it out.

“I’m sorry,” he starts. “I…um…”

“It’s okay,” Brittany interrupts with a sad smile. “I know that you can’t help who you love. And I do love you Sam so if you’re going to be happier with Blaine, why should I stand in your way?”

Sam can’t help himself and in seconds he’s crossed the room and pulls Brittany close. They both stand there, crying in each other’s arms. Finally Brittany pulls away, and with one last smile, turns around and walks away.

Sam watches her until she turns into another corridor, ignoring the curious looks thrown his way by the other students. When Brittany is out of sight he gives himself a shake.

He needs to talk to Blaine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song is 'You Don't' by Sara Evans.


	4. Blaine

Blaine is worried. He doesn't think that he'd been as subtle as he had hoped. Singing  _You Don't_  yesterday certainly didn't help but Finn  _did_  tell him that it will get better so he's pretty sure everyone thinks it was about Kurt. Again.

On some level he's relieved because if people think he sang about Kurt, they won't ask awkward questions—like who he was really singing about—but on another level he can't help but be irritated. Do people really think he's that pathetic? Yes, he was depressed and upset about breaking up with Kurt but it's been months and, what, did they really think he was Bella Swan?

But Sam has been giving him that look again and every time he sees Sam's eyes he can barely keep himself in check. He's afraid that if he even  _looks_  at Sam he won't be able to help himself and do something completely ridiculous and inappropriate so he's been avoiding him. For a while he could tell himself that he was just doing what Sam asked and giving him space but he and Sam have not hung out at all except in glee and he's sure that Sam has definitely noticed.

He's going to have to man-up and hang around Sam for a while…

He can't. He can't do that. He could have been Sam's friend and have a crush on him; he could have made that work. But he can't  _just_ be his friend anymore. Not when he lo— _feels_ this strongly for him. He won't be able to stop himself. Seeing him hold Brittany's hand, kiss her…no. He was pathetic with Kurt but no more, let it not be said that Blaine Anderson doesn't learn from his mistakes.

Besides, he's pretty sure he and Sam can be friends again. He just needs time to get over this. To get over Sam.

Obviously Sam freaked out, it was too much too quickly. But he offered it freely. And Blaine is only human. But he should have said no. He should have turned him down and now he's lost his best friend.

No tears. No tears. Dammit.

Blaine rushes to the nearest bathroom and starts to breathe deeply. He lets the tears fall but manages not to sob. He walks to the sink to wash his face. When he turns the tap, rusty water jets out and drenches him. He blinks and then notices the "under repair" sign quite clearly placed behind the taps. He lets out a curse. At least he doesn't feel like crying anymore.

Fortunately the locker rooms are nearby. He waits for the bell to ring and decides to skip his next class. He walks the empty corridors to the locker rooms. His Cheerios uniform is drenched but luckily he has some spare clothes: dark jeans and a dark brown sweater. It'll have to do. He takes a shower and takes his time, letting the warm water calm him down. When he's done, he quickly dries off and gets changed. He puts the wet and probably stained uniform inside one of the special laundry bags Coach Sylvester ordered for the team and he makes a mental note to drop it off at the Cheerio-designated hamper near her office. He really starts to curse when he realizes he doesn't have enough gel. He has enough to keep the curls in place but not enough to hold it all back. He'll have to get his hat from his car.

He really just wants this week to end. He feels drained. He was worried at first because Tina seemed to be on to him but Blaine thinks that singing  _You Don't_  has made her believe it's about Kurt again. He really doesn't want to talk about it. He just needs a few more days, so he can put it behind him. If he skips out the rest of his classes today, and tomorrow being Friday, he can call in sick…then hide—he can admit it, he'll be hiding—for the weekend. By Monday he would have locked away his feelings for Sam Evans and everything will be the way it was. He's sure of it.

Okay, he has a plan. He'll go home, call in sick. His parents won't be back until Friday evening, they won't even know he didn't go to school. In fact, he'll call his mom now about not feeling well and  _she'll_  call the school about him not coming in tomorrow. And if he does it just right she'll even insist on him going home immediately. Sometimes it pays to have Cooper as an older brother.

Plan set, Blaine whips out his phone and starts coughing, roughing up his throat. Calling out a few "hey Mom's" to test out one that sounds sick enough to worry her so she'll insist he go home but not too sickly that she will cut her trip short or become suspicious when he looks okay when they get home Friday evening. He feels a little guilty about skipping school but he's holding down a 4.0 GPA and most of his classes are AP, he figures he can take a break.

He finds just the right 'sick voice' and is about to call his mother when he hears the locker room door open.

"Blaine?"

What was Tina doing in here?

"Blaine, are you in here? You missed class." He can hear the worry in Tina's tone. And while he can fool his mom, there's no way he'll be able to fool Ms. Christina Cohen-Chang.

"Back here, Tina," Blaine says resignedly not even bothered that Tina just walked in the boys' locker room.

"There you are!" Tina says with a smile. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Blaine says, "I got drenched by a faulty faucet and decided to skip class so I can change. No big."

"Okay, well then let's go or we'll be late for glee," Tina

Dammit. He remembered he promised to help Tina sing her song today. Okay he can do this. He's done it the whole week, what's one more day? At least he won't have to deal with it tomorrow.

"Sure, I just need to get my hat from my car," Blaine says getting up.

"What? Why?" Tina actually sounds surprised.

"Um," Blaine says and points at his head. Can't she see how ridiculous he looks?

"Seriously?" Tina says with a grin. "I thought you were trying out a new look. I think it looks great."

"Tina—"

"How different is this than when you sang  _Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go_?"

"That's different, I was performing," Blaine says rolling his eyes, why can't people see how hideous his hair is? "This is real life."

"Blaine," Tina says sternly, looking grim; her change of expression so abrupt that Blaine gets startled. "Do you trust me?"

"Yes." Of course he does. Tina's his best friend. His only best friend now.

"Do you think I will ever make you an object of ridicule or allow people to make fun of you?"

"Of course not," Blaine answers her, where was she going with this?

"So why don't you believe me when I tell you that you look good and that you don't need a hat?" she asks him, her face softening.

"Tina," he starts then stops. "It's just…" Dammit. He takes a deep breath. Okay, Tina's right, she won't do anything that will make people laugh at him. He doesn't like his curls loose but maybe it means that other people might think it's okay. He doesn't think baggy jeans are flattering but other people do. Maybe it's one of those things where people think it's cool  _because_  it's so hideous. Besides, he can't hurt Tina's feelings. It's just for glee. He'll go home right after. He'll pretend that he's playing a character that has a mop for hair. He can do this.

"Fine," Blaine sighs. "Let's go."

They are the last to arrive in glee and Tina was just finishing a hilarious story about Mercedes being mistaken for Jennifer Hudson in a nail salon and Mercedes totally taking advantage of it to score some freebies, Blaine can't help but smile. Tina grabs his hand and drags him to two empty seats in front just as Finn walks out of Mr. Schue's office. Blaine has studiously kept his eyes on Tina so he wouldn't have to look at Sam. He feels his smile drop but manages to cover his wince when the chair Tina leaves open for him puts him right next to Sam.

He can do this. It'll be weird if he doesn't greet Sam so he looks up and catches Sam's green eyes but his heart stops when he sees the confusion and sadness there. The confusion and sadness  _he_  put there because he couldn't control himself. He forces a smile and says, "Hi Sam."

It sounded weird. Why did that sound weird? His eyes widen as he realizes that's the first time he has initiated a conversation with Sam since the weekend. Dammit. He quickly turns to Tina and whispers, "Are you singing first?" Not really caring for her answer, he just wants to have a legitimate reason to look away.

He forces himself to look at Finn, not really noticing what he's saying but he can feel Sam beside him. He's so aware of him. His heat. The flash of skin. His scent. God, his scent. Dammit.

He sees Tina getting up and he follows. He goes through the performance on autopilot. Harmonizing with Tina and keeping focus on her. He's just support here. He's not avoiding Sam by focusing on Tina, he's merely directing everyone's focus on her. It's his job. Even if he can feel Sam's eyes on him. Dammit.

They finish and they sit down.

"That was awesome!" Finn exclaims. "Seriously you guys, I don't think I've ever heard Bob Marley done that way but it really works! Great job Blaine and Tina!"

"It's mostly Tina," Blaine quickly jumps in, making sure everyone knows that this was all her. "Joe pointed her in the right direction of course but that was Tina's arrangement, I just helped out with the vocals."

Tina smiles her thanks at Blaine and Finn congratulates Tina even more. Blaine is peripherally aware as two more numbers are performed. Brittany sings a folk song and Joe does Katy Perry but even that isn't enough to pull his attention away from Sam. Sam is actually  _looking_ at him. He's practically staring! Blaine's got his eyes forward but not seeing the performances. He picks his cues from Tina, he claps when she does, smiles when she does. He has to, his brain is too overwhelmed by the waves of intensity coming from Sam to make any kind of decision.

"Sam?" Finn's question breaks him out of his trance. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah," Blaine flinches at how raw Sam sounds and he realizes that Sam hasn't spoken at all until that moment.

Sam sits behind the piano which actually takes Blaine by surprise. Marley, Kitty and Tina get up and join him, Tina giving Blaine a gentle smile as she joins the other girls. Blaine suddenly realizes that he's all alone in the front row.

Sam speaks up and Blaine can't help  _but_ look and he almost gasps as Sam is looking directly at him. He talks to the room but he keeps his eyes on Blaine.

"Someone really special introduced this song to me," Sam says. "I'm still not a huge fan of her music but this song is special to me. I even learned how to play it on the piano," Sam says softly and Blaine realizes that that was for him alone. Sam wanted him to know that. "I wanted to sing this the first day of the assignment but I wasn't ready. I was too scared. I'm not anymore."

Sam starts playing and Blaine's eyes widen. He can't be—

_The sky looks pissed_   
_The wind talks back_   
_My bones are shifting in my skin_   
_And you my love are gone_

Blaine is stunned. He's singing  _The Chain_. He shifted the key a bit to better suit his voice and Sam's playing isn't perfect but Sam is singing  _The Chain_ and he's keeping his eyes on Blaine. They never left him from the moment he sat behind the piano. There is no doubt that he's singing this song to Blaine. Blaine wonders if Sam even knows what this song means?

_My room seems wrong_   
_The bed won't fit_   
_I cannot seem to operate_   
_And you my love are gone_

He  _does_  know what it means. Dammit. Blaine can't help himself and he looks at Brittany and she's sitting there smiling sadly at Sam. She knows. Blaine looks back at Sam as the girls join him in harmony.

_So glide away in soapy heels_   
_And promise not to promise anymore_   
_And if you come around again_   
_Then I will take, then I will take the chain from off the door_

Blaine's heart lurches. He can't believe it. Is Sam saying this to him for real?

_I'll never say_   
_That I'll never love_   
_But I don't say a lot of things_   
_And you my love are gone_

Blaine can feel the heat behind his eyes as tears start to gather. He flashes into anger. He was just getting it right! He kept his heart from breaking this time! He had cracks but he held it together and he was ready! He was going to keep Sam safe in a corner of his heart and he— _they_  can be normal again but no, bloody-Sam-bloody-Evans had to ruin it and declare his feelings in song and making sure  _everyone_ knows!

_So glide away in soapy heels_   
_And promise not to promise anymore_   
_And if you come around again_   
_Then I will take the chain from off the door_

Is that what he did? Glide away from him?  _Oh Sam_. And the anger is gone. He abandoned him. No wonder Sam is sad. He really is an awful friend. He was so focused on his feelings and justifying why he should stay away from Sam so he wouldn't be hurt that he forgot that Sam's world just changed, that he was lost and confused and instead of being a friend and help him, he avoided him. He left him all alone. He's such a  _dick!_ Blaine couldn't stop it this time and the tears fall down freely and as he looks at Sam and meets his eyes he can see the tears pooling there, too. Sam and the girls hit the round part of the song and their harmony is breathtaking.

_So glide away in soapy heels_   
_And promise not to promise anymore_   
_And if you come around again_   
_Then I will take the chain from off the door_   
_Then I will take, then I will take, then I will take the chain from off the door_

The room is quiet. Sam is looking at Blaine and Blaine is looking right back at him. Blaine is aware that in the background Tina and Marley are quietly shooing everyone out of the room. He ignores Kitty and Sugar's protestations that they want to see what's going to happen next.

Sam gets up from the piano and walks to Blaine and Blaine pulls himself up to his feet. Sam stops in front of him.

"I'm sorry," Sam says, breaking the silence. Blaine is confused. Why is Sam sorry? Blaine was the one who messed things up!

"Why?" Blaine asks. "Sam you didn't do anything wrong—"

"Then why didn't you talk to me?" Sam's voice is harsh but there's pain there, too. Blaine winces. Sam looks down but immediately looks back up at Blaine. "I know I screwed up. The feelings overwhelmed me and I panicked but you…you wouldn't come near me. You avoided me or ran away. I lost my _best friend_ , Blaine, you took him from me."

"I'm so, so sorry Sam," Blaine feels wretched. He wants to hug Sam, let him know that he would never leave him again but will that be welcome? Does he even deserve it after what he did to Sam? Blaine couldn't help it, he raises his hand to comfort Sam but stops himself but before he can put his arm down Sam reaches out for his hand like it's a lifeline and grabs his hand. Feeling Sam's warm hand on his own sends a bolt of electricity up his spine. "I thought I was giving you space and I guess I panicked, too. I didn't want to crowd you and lose you."

"You think I would let you go?" Sam asks.

"I fell for you," Blaine admits, "that wasn't in the agreement."

Blaine's heart starts beating fast. He didn't mean to say that. But he's glad that he did. It's out there now, for better or for worse. At least whatever happens now they'll move forward this, not this back-and-forth. He hopes that if they can't be together that, at least, they'll move in the same direction.

"I fell for you, too," Sam says and Blaine feels his heart stop. "I didn't plan on it, and I know you didn't either but it happened. It freaked me out, not because you're a boy but because the feelings were… _are_  so strong. I've never felt anything like this before."

"Sam—" but before Blaine can say anything else he feels Sam's lips on his, soft and gentle. Sam pulls back a bit but Blaine pushes forward, after tasting these lips last week and thinking he never would again, Blaine can't help but be a little greedy. Sam returns the kiss strongly and Blaine feels Sam's body press against his and his hand behind his neck, Sam's fingers digging into his curls. Blaine reaches up to hold Sam's head and his other hand holding on to his arm. He feels himself locked into place by Sam's other arm wrapping around his waist.

They finally break the kiss. Blaine looks up at Sam's glorious face and he sees the smile in his eyes. He can feel Sam's thumbs on his cheeks wiping the tears away.

"Hey you," Blaine says. He just wanted to greet Sam. This Sam. Happy Sam. He hasn't seen him in a while and he's been missed.

"Hi," Sam says and smiles. And Sam leans down again and captures his mouth with another kiss.

They need to talk.

But it can wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song is 'The Chain' by Ingrid Michaelson.
> 
> I also want to give my thanks to TheFauxMe (who doesn't have an Ao3 account but has one in the other site. Check her profile out, she's an awesome writer) who told me how lazy the original chapter four was and to get my head out of my ass and write it properly. So if you liked this chapter, she's responsible for it.
> 
> Thank you for reading.


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